The invention relates generally to game cabinets and more particularly, to an improved system for mounting a game playfield within a game cabinet.
Pinball game cabinets house an inclined playfield that supports a rolling ball and a plurality of play features such as targets, bumpers, ramps and the like. Player controlled flippers are also mounted on the playfield to control the movement of the ball. The game cabinet is provided with a plate of glass on top so that the player can view the playfield during play. The game cabinet also houses the mechanical and electrical components that control the play features and operation of the game. Many of these components are secured directly to the top and/or underside of the playfield.
Pinball machines require periodic maintenance because the mechanical and electrical components are subject to frequent and extended use. Therefore, access to the electrical and mechanical components is necessary to maintain and repair the components. Access is gained by removing the playfield glass and pivoting the playfield relative to the cabinet to an upright position in which the components on the underside of the playfield can be accessed. The features on the top of the playfield usually occupy a large mount of space and therefore, movement of the playfield is restricted. Moreover, the weight of the components which are secured to the playfield usually make pivotal movement of the playfield difficult by the person repairing the pinball machine.
Prior an attempts to remedy the above problems have resulted in complex mechanisms for providing the pivotal movement of playfield. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,807 to Schilling, et al. teaches a sliding mount for a pinball playfield which increases the access to the underside of the playfield by allowing the playfield to pivot through an angle of more than 90 degrees relative to the cabinet. Schilling, et al., however, requires a relatively complex sliding mechanism which has numerous parts. Moreover, the pivotal movements undergone by the playfield in the invention of Schilling, et al. requires that the operator or repair person shift the entire weight of the playfield as it is slid forward before being pivoted to the upright position.
Thus, a device providing pivotal movement of the playfield is desired which facilitates easy access to the interior of the cabinet and which employs a simple mechanism for providing the pivotal movement of the playfield while reducing the amount of physical effort required to access the game components.